Vacuum cleaner dolly



mm. 7 1958 w. c. LAMPE VACUUM CLEANER DOLLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1953 iHL INVENTOR Robert C. lam be a 7 ATTORNEY C. LAFE VACUUM CLEANER DOLLY 2 Shams-Sheet H Filed June 29,, 19535 a mi m6 b a. R

BM ATTORNEY United States Patent VACUUM CLEANER DOLLY Robert. C. Lampe, Stamford, Comn, assignor to Electrolnx Corporation, (Bid. Greenwich, Comm, a corporation of Delaware Application June 29, 1953, Serial No. 364,587

2 Claims. (Cl. 280-3) This inventionv relates to an improved wheel dolly for a tank type: vacuum cleaner and to means for mounting and locking, it in position. on preferred portions of the cleaner unit.

More particularly, it. embraces a novel combination of elements for insuring. the retention. of such a wheel dolly inposition on the runners or sleighs of a tank type vacuum cleaner and, preferably, on preselected portions of said runners or sleighs.

Heretofore, a number of dolly or wheeled devices have been designed for use with vacuum cleaner units. Some have been attached to various parts of the body of the cleaner, each however, having certain specific objects in view. All of these devices have been found subject to many seemingly unavoidable shortcomings and in particular, none have been found adequate for effecting the objects and purposes of this invention.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved type of wheel dolly which may be readily attached to the runners of a conventional tank type cleaner.

It is a further prime object of this invention to provide a dolly which is easily removed from and remounted on a cleaner.

Another object is to provide a dolly mechanism which, after attachment, still leaves the rug in contact with a major portion of the runner surface, especially on deep pile rugs.

Still another object is to enable the operator to handle the vacuum cleaner on carpeted and uncarpeted surfaces with the utmost ease and without abrading or otherwise injuring the uncarpeted surface.

Still other and further objects will become apparent upon reading the following description together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tank type vacuum cleaner showing an assembled view of one embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a rear plan view of the dolly device in position on a cleaner and at the rear thereof to show the details of the dolly structure more clearly;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational View of a portion of Fig. 1 showing the dolly in position securely fastened over an angular portion of the runners;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the base member mounting of the dolly in place on the runner and taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one half of the base member mounting showing the groove formed therein for conformably fitting over the runner.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, a housing 10 of a conventional tank-type vacuum cleaner has suitably secured thereto a pair of runners 12 and 12a which support the cleaner in a substantially horizontal position. One end of housing 10 forms a dust container compart ment opening in a substantially vertical plane and provided with a closure member 16. This closure member 16 comprises a portion 18 pivotally mounted at. I? to pneumatically seal a front cover ring 22, and when opened, cover 16 extends anteriorly from the housing 10. A hose connector element 24 is pivotally carried by the portion 18 of closure member 16 and is adapted to be oriented in paralleled position throughout its traveled arc.

A top trim assembly 26 is appropriately secured to the upper portion of. housing 10 and is provided with a carrying handle 28. Rear cover 30 is remov'ably fastened by appropriate means to rear cover ring 32 and housing 10' and is suitably shaped at the bottom 34 to facilitate the convenient placement of the dolly member at the angular bend in the sleighs or runners 12.

The base members 50, 51 and 60, 61 (Fig. 2) for mounting the Wheels 70 and 72 of the dolly 40 are shown in a preferred position at the reversely or angularly bent portion of the runners shown between the rearwardly and downwardly extending portions and the forwardly extending portions of the runners 12 and 12a. The base members 50, 51 are mirror-image elements or members which mate along their inner edges and plane surfaces, each element being provided with a groove therein for conformably and contiguously fitting over one-half of the outside surface of the runner upon which it is immediately mounted at the reversely or angularly bent portion of the runner. In this location the base members are locked against longitudinal sliding movement along the runners while simultaneously holding their axle supporting extensions rigidly in place for the more convenient mounting of wheels 70, 72 on axle 80. This particular mounting at the angularly bent portion of the runners 12 and 12a locks the base members against rotation in any plane, whether it be vertical, longitudinal or axial.

Each base member comprises an outer metal stamping 5t) and an inner metal stamping 51 each provided with a groove 52, Fig. 6, conformably fitting over the sharply bent end of runner 12 and securely fastened together by retaining bolt and nut 58, Fig. 5. A similar pair of metal stampings 6th, 61 form the other base member which is securely fastened to fit over the corresponding portion of the right-hand runner 12a of Fig. 2, by bolt and nut members similar to '58.

An axle receiving opening 5%, Fig. 6, is formed in each stamping and is surrounded by a flange 54a. The ends of the flanges of each pair of stampings which comprise a base member meet in abutting relationship, the flanges thus providing substantial bearing surface for supporting an axle on which wheels 76, 72 are mounted. The outer locking washer 91, Figs. 3 and 4, fitting into a groove out in the axle surface, locks the axle 80 in place, while inner locking washer 92 likewise fitting into a groove cut in the axle surface holds the wheel in its preselected position on the axis. A free washer 93, Fig. 4, serves to space Wheel 76 from frictional contact with the surface of inner metal stamping 51.

Wheel 72 is mounted on axle '30 in a manner corre sponding to that described above in connection with wheel 70. The resultant wheel dolly effects a rigid, readily replaceable, simple construction which supports the relatively heavy motor fan end of the cleaner in a highly efiicient and flexible manner. Use of this mounting completely avoids the hard wear and marring effects sometimes produced on wood, linoleum and similar uncarpeted surfaces when the bare runners of a conventional tank type vacuum cleaner are carelessly drawn across such flooring.

It is to be understood that the example described above is merely illustrative and is not a limitative embodiment of this invention and that the scope thereof may be vari- 2 ously otherwise constituted within the scope of the definitions thereof contained in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a wheel dolly for a tank type vacuum cleaner having a pair of supporting runners at opposite sides thereof, each runner having a reversely bent portion, the combination of a base member mounted on each of said runners at the reversely bent portion thereof and comprising a pair of sheet metal stampings, each stamping of each pair being a mirror image of the other and each stamping having a groove therein conformably fitting over one-half of said reversely bent portion of its associated runner, means for securing each pair of stampings together with said portion of the associated runner clamped Within said groove, aligned axle openings in each pair of stampings, a cylindrical flange extending from each stamping around each opening, the flanges of the stampings of each pair meeting to form a bearing surface, an axle extending between said base member and mounted in said bearing surfaces, and Wheels mounted on said axle.

2. in a wheel dolly for a tank type vacuum cleaner having a pair of supporting runners at opposite sides thereof, each runner having a reversely bent portion, the combination of a base member mounted on each of said runners at the reversely bent portion thereof and comprising a pair of sheet metal stampings, each stamping of each pair being a mirror image of the other and each stamping having a groove therein conformably fitting over one-half of said reversely bent portion of its associated runner, the stampings of each pair having flat surface portions, means for securing said surface portions in face to face relationship with said portion of the associated runner clamped Within said grooves, aligned axle openings in each pair of stampings, a cylindrical flange extending from each stamping around each opening, the flanges of the stampings of each pair meeting to form a bearing surface, an axle extending between said base members and mounted in said bearing surfaces, and Wheels mounted on said axle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 828,232 Morris et a1. Aug. 7, 1906 1,234,775 Kuster July 31, 1917 1,357,117 Rhodes Oct. 26, 1920 1,456,335 Peterson May 22, 1923 1,765,985 McI-Iaflie June 24, 1930 1,947,154 Fox Feb. 13, 1934 2,177,588 Genell Oct. 24, 1939 2,236,331 Cofsky Mar. 25, 1941 

